Tools

It is tempting and sometimes wise to limit the number of tools you lug around. After all, you do not need much, really. A Leatherman tool has most of the screwdrivers and pliers you will need. In addition, you should have a multimeter, compressed air, window-cleaning wipes, 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs, an antistatic wrist strap and mat, and a CD wallet with a legit copy of all the operating systems that you support. On those OS CDs, you can find utilities and disk management software such as Format, Fdisk, ScanDisk or System File Checker, Defrag, and Disk Cleanup. Other tools you should have are antivirus protection, an adware and spyware remover, drivers, service packs, a USB network interface card (NIC) with drivers, a notebook, flashlight, and maybe some specialized test equipment such as a power-supply tester or tools for cable testing and making. It seems like a lot, but you should be able to fit everything in one bag. If you have the luxury of a bench and shop, the sky is the limit for tools. Table 18-2 lists other tools that you might see on the A+ exam.